Chopin: Études

Frederic Chopin (Composer), Nikolai Lugansky (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Nikolai Lugansky
• Composer: Frederic Chopin
• Audio CD (August 1, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Erato
• ASIN: B00004SDN2
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,313 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #32 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Etudes

Track Listings

1. Etudes, Op.10: 1. C

2. Etudes, Op.10: 2. a

3. Etudes, Op.10: 3. E

4. Etudes, Op.10: 4. c#

5. Etudes, Op.10: 5. G flat

6. Etudes, Op.10: 6. e flat

7. Etudes, Op.10: 7. C

8. Etudes, Op.10: 8. F

9. Etudes, Op.10: 9. f

10. Etudes, Op.10: 10. A flat

11. Etudes, Op.10: 11. E flat

12. Etudes, Op.10: 12. c

13. Etudes, Op.25: 1. A flat

14. Etudes, Op.25: 2. f

15. Etudes, Op.25: 3. F

16. Etudes, Op.25: 4. a

17. Etudes, Op.25: 5. e

18. Etudes, Op.25: 6. g#

19. Etudes, Op.25: 7. c#

20. Etudes, Op.25: 8. D flat

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Nikolai Lugansky was the favorite pupil of the late Tatiana Nikolayeva, the great Russian Bach player at the Moscow Conservatory. At the age of 16, he took second prize in the 1988 Leipzig Bach Competition; two years later, second in the Rachmaninov Competition; and, in 1994, first prize in the Tchaikovsky Competition. The man knows how to play. The difficult Étude in Thirds (Opus 25, No. 6) takes off at something like the speed of light; the hazardous right-hand entries are unerring in their accuracy; and Lugansky makes it all sound easy. The B Minor "Octave" Étude (Opus 25, No. 10) receives one of the best performances on record. Despite the Herculean octaves in the opening and closing sections, Lugansky still manages to suggest power in reserve, and his disciplined, dignified approach never permits the luscious middle section to lapse into sentimentality. But, while some of Lugansky's Études touch greatness, too many of them amount to little more than a blueprint of the music--clear and exact, but without the flair, color, and flexibility (not to mention the poetry) that characterize the great versions by Vladimir Ashkenazy, Juana Zayas, and Maurizio Pollini. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Please!, October 13, 2000

By 

Itamar Axelrod (Haifa Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chopin: Études (Audio CD)

Where did he come from?! One of the best Etudes preformances I'd ever listened to. For Lugansky the technical difficulties don't seem to exist. His reading is poeticly sensitive (listen to op.10 no.3 and op.25 no.7). Though Pollini is every bit as brilliant technicaly,he doesn't have the inner fire that Lugansky has. You can feel the explotions and the inner fire coming out (op.25 no.11).

As much respect as I have for Pollini and Ashkenazy, Piano playing in the last decade has been (in MY opinion) conquered by young russian pianists (Demidenko,Berezovsky and Volodos).Their advantage is the fact that they are not afraid of expressing themselves,and that they get full support from their recording companies. We need new heros in the piano playing Pantheon, and if these pianists are an example of what we are heading to - this should be a great century for the piano.

By the way the recording quality is top notch.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virtuosity and Rare Understanding, July 1, 2002

By 

Alex Serrano (Perrysburg, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chopin: Études (Audio CD)

Recently i got a hold of this recording more out of curiosity than with a favorable impression of Lugansky (previously i had been quite dissapointed by his rachmaninov preludes and moments musicaux recordings which to me seemed to lack in spirit and strength). But, having heard quite favorable comments of this recording, in spite of my initial reaction to his playing i went ahead and put this on my stereo.
This time I am quite impressed - favorably. Lugansky recognizes the virtuosic character of these works and his technique is always more than suited for this display, and then he treats every work with care and attention and delivers them splendidly. To be honest, it is unfair to compare this performance with the likes of cherkassky, berezovsky, pollini, freire, as each sizes these works in their own unique way. What is interesting is that Lugansky delivers a performance that can be spoken of in the same breadth as the these by other pianists who may be the top choices for the chopin etudes.
Lugansky plays with a degree of clarity and articulation that almost reminds of mozart rather than chopin, but in doing so is able to expose these works open and show details that most of the time go unnoticed. This is indeed a revelatory performance - one that hopefully will be a distinct prelude to a superb career.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chopin Played with Virtuosity and Spirit, September 6, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chopin: Études (Audio CD)

Warning: Nikolai Lugansky can be habit forming! Having been favorably impressed with his recordings of Rachmaninov brought me to this recoding of the Chopin Études. While there are many pianists able to convey the poetry inherent in Chopin's works, few are able to match the sheer virtuosity of this magic-fingered Lugansky. His technique is simply astonishing and he is able to traverse Chopin's diabolically difficult passages a though they were simple nursery rhymes.

While some my quibble that Lugansky elects keyboard facility over drama, those listeners need to spend more time with his style. Entirely in keeping with the Romantic period of pianism, Lugansky plays all the notes correctly but infuses his passages of liquid speed with artful phrasing. There is all the poetry others have achieved but with seemingly less work: it just flows out of the music with ease. This is a pianist whose career, though firmly established, is destined to flourish. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, September 05